Edmonton's Native Wildlife
The unique ecosystem of our river valley allows hundreds of species to thrive here.
Here are some of the plants and animals that have long inhabited this region.
Mammals
Arctic Shrew, Sorex arcticus
Big Brown Bat, Eptesicus fuscus
Bison, Bison bison
Black Bear, Ursus americanus
Canada Lynx, Lynx canadensis
Canadian Beaver, Castor canadensis, as depicted in our beaver in bough design
Common Porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum
Coyote, Canis latrans
Deer Mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus
Dusky Shrew, Sorex monticolus
Eastern Heather Vole, Phenacomys ungava
Ermine, Mustela erminea
Franklin's Ground Squirrel, Spermophilus franklinii
Grizzly Bear, Ursus arctos horribilis
Hoary Bat, Lasiurus cinereus
Least Chipmunk, Tamias minimus
Least Weasel, Mustela nivalis
Little Brown Bat, Myotis lucifugus
Long‐tailed Weasel, Mustela frenata
Masked Shrew, Sorex cinereus
Meadow Jumping Mouse, Zapus hudsonius
Meadow Vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus
Mink, Neovison vison
Moose, Alces alces
Mountain Cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii
Mountain Lion, Puma concolor
Mule Deer, Odocoileus hemionus
Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus
North American Porcupine, Erethizon dorsatum
Northern Bat, Myotis septentrionalis
Northern Bog Lemming, Synaptomys borealis
Northern Flying Squirrel, Glaucomys sabrinus
Northern Pocket Gopher, Thomomys talpoides
Prairie Shrew, Sorex haydeni
Prairie Vole, Microtus ochrogaster
Pygmy Shrew, Sorex hoyi
Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes
Red Squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
Richardson's Ground Squirrel, Spermophilus richardsonii
Silver‐haired Bat, Lasionycteris noctivagans
Snowshoe Hare, Lepus americanus
Southern Red‐backed Vole, Clethrionomys gapperi
Striped Skunk, Mephitis mephitis
Thirteen‐lined Ground Squirrel, Spermophilus tridecemlineatus
Water Shrew, Sorex palustris
Western Jumping Mouse, Zapus princeps
White‐tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus
White‐tailed Jack Rabbit, Lepus townsendii
Woodchuck, Marmota monax
Reptiles
Common Garter Snake, Thamnophis sirtalis
Plains Garter Snake, Thamnophis radix
Amphibians
Boreal Chorus Frog, Pseudacris maculata
Boreal Toad, Anaxyrus boreas boreas
Canadian Toad, Anaxyrus hemiophrys
Wood Frog, Lithobates sylvaticus
Fish
Burbot, Lota lota
Goldeye, Hiodon alosoides
Lake Sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens
Longnose Sucker, Catostomus catostomus
Mountain Whitefish, Prosopium williamsoni
Northern Pike, Esox lucius
Sauger, Sander canadensis
Walleye, Sander vitreus
Birds
Alder Flycatcher, Empidonax alnorum
American Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos
American Goldfinch, Spinus tristis
American Kestrel, Falco sparverius
American Redstart, Setophaga ruticilla
American Robin, Turdus migratorius
American Tree Sparrow, Spizella arborea
American White Pelicans, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula
Bank Swallow, Riparia riparia
Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica
Barred Owl, Strix varia
Bay‐breasted Warbler, Setophaga castanea
Belted Kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon
Black‐and‐white Warbler, Mniotilta varia
Black‐backed Woodpecker, Picoides arcticus
Black‐billed Cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Black‐billed Magpie, Pica hudsonia
Black‐capped Chickadee, Poecile atricapillus
Black‐Throated Green Warbler, Setophaga virens
Blackburnian Warbler, Setophaga fusca
Blackpoll Warbler, Setophaga striata
Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata
Blue‐headed Vireo, Vireo solitarius
Bohemian Waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus
Boreal Chickadee, Poecile hudsonicus
Boreal Owl, Aegolius funereus
Brewer's Blackbird, Euphagus cyanocephalus
Broad‐winged Hawk, Buteo platypterus
Brown Creeper, Certhia americana
Brown‐headed Cowbird, Molothrus ater
Canada Goose, Branta canadensis
Canada Warbler, Cardellina canadensis
Cape May Warbler, Setophaga tigrina
Cedar Waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum
Chestnut‐sided Warbler, Setophaga pensylvanica
Chipping Sparrow, Spizella passerina
Clay‐colored Sparrow, Spizella pallida
Cliff Swallow, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Common Grackle, Quiscalus quiscula
Common Nighthawk, Chordeiles minor
Common Raven, Corvus corax
Common Redpoll, Acanthis flammea
Common Yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas
Connecticut Warbler, Oporornis agilis
Cooper's Hawk, Accipiter cooperii
Dark‐eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis
Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens
Eastern Kingbird, Tyrannus tyrannus
Eastern Phoebe, Sayornis phoebe
Evening Grosbeak, Coccothraustes vespertinus
Fox Sparrow, Passerella iliaca
Golden‐crowned Kinglet, Regulus satrapa
Golden Eagle, Aquila chrysaetos
Gray Catbird, Dumetella carolinensis
Gray‐cheeked Thrush, Catharus minimus
Great Grey Owl, Strix nebulosa
Great Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus
Great‐crested Flycatcher, Myiarchus crinitus
Gyrfalcon, Falco rusticolus
Hairy Woodpecker, Picoides villosus
Harris's Sparrow, Zonotrichia querula
Hermit Thrush, Catharus guttatus
Hoary Redpoll, Acanthis hornemanni
House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus
House Wren, Troglodytes aedon
Le Conte's Sparrow, Ammodramus leconteii
Least Flycatcher, Empidonax minimus
Lincoln's Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii
Long‐eared Owl, Asio otus
Magnolia Warbler, Setophaga magnolia
Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
Merlin, Falco columbarius
Mountain Bluebird, Sialia currucoides
Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura
Mourning Warbler, Geothlypis philadelphia
Nelson's Sparrow, Ammodramus nelsoni
Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus
Northern Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis atricapillus
Northern Rough‐winged Swallow, Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Northern Saw‐whet Owl, Aegolius acadicus
Northern Shrike, Lanius excubitor
Northern Waterthrush, Parkesia noveboracensis
Olive‐sided Flycatcher, Contopus cooperi
Orange‐crowned Warbler, Oreothlypis celata
Ovenbird, Seiurus aurocapilla
Palm Warbler, Setophaga palmarum
Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus anatum
Philadelphia Vireo, Vireo philadelphicus
Pileated Woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus
Pine Grosbeak, Pinicola enucleator
Pine Siskin, Spinus pinus
Purple Finch, Carpodacus purpureus
Purple Martin, Progne subis
Red Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra
Red‐breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis
Red‐eyed Vireo, Vireo olivaceus
Red‐tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis
Rose‐breasted Grosbeak, Pheucticus ludovicianus
Rough‐legged Hawk, Buteo lagopus
Ruby‐crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula
Ruby‐throated Hummingbird, Archilochus colubris
Ruffed Grouse, Bonasa umbellus
Rusty Blackbird, Euphagus carolinus
Savannah Sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis
Say's Phoebe, Sayornis saya
Sharp‐shinned Hawk, Accipiter striatus
Short‐eared Owl, Asio flammeus
Snow Bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis
Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia
Swainson's Hawk, Buteo swainsoni
Swainson's Thrush, Catharus ustulatus
Tennessee Warbler, Oreothlypis peregrina
Three‐toed Woodpecker, Picoides tridactylus
Townsend's Solitaire, Myadestes townsendi
Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor
Varied Thrush, Ixoreus naevius
Veery, Catharus fuscescens
Vesper Sparrow, Pooecetes gramineus
Warbling Vireo, Vireo gilvus
Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta
Western Tanager, Piranga ludoviciana
Western Wood‐pewee, Contopus sordidulus
White‐breasted Nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis
White‐crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys
White‐throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis
White‐winged Crossbill, Loxia leucoptera
Wilson's Warbler, Cardellina pusilla
Winter Wren, Troglodytes hiemalis
Yellow Warbler, Setophaga petechia
Yellow‐bellied Flycatcher, Empidonax flaviventris
Yellow‐bellied Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius
Yellow‐rumped Warbler, Setophaga coronata
Trees
Alaska birch, Betula neoalaskana
white poplar (trembling aspen), Populus tremuloides
balsam poplar, Populus balsamifera
black spruce, Picea mariana
jack pine, Pinus banksiana
tamarack, Laris laricina
white birch, Betula papyrifera
white spruce, Picea glauca
Shrubs
alder, Alnus incana
beaked hazelnut, Corylus cornuta
buckbrush, Symphoricarpos occidentalis
Canada buffalo-berry, Shepherdia canadensis
choke cherry, Prunus virginiana
high-bush cranberry, Viburnum opulus
low-bush cranberry, Viburnum edule
wild gooseberry, Ribes oxyacanthoides
pin cherry, Prunus pensylvanica
prickly wild rose, Rosa acicularis
red-osier dogwood or red willow, Cornus stolonifera
saskatoon, Amelanchier alnifolia
shrubby cinquefoil, Potentilla fruticosa
wild red currant, Ribes triste
wild red raspberry, Rubus idaeus
Forbs
agrimony, Agrimonia striata
bracted honeysuckle, Lonicera involucrata
Canada anemone, Anemone canadensis
common burdock, Arctium minus
common fireweed, Chamerion angustifolium
common horsetail, Equisetum arvense
common nettle, Urtica dioica
common pepper-grass, Lepidium densiflorum
common tansy, Tanacetum vulgare
common toadflax, Linaria vulgaris
common yarrow, Achillea millefolium
cow parsnip, Heracleum maximum
cream-colored vetchling, Lathyrus ochroleucus
creeping bellflower, Campanula rapunculoides
creeping thistle, Cirsium arvense
cut-leaved ragwort, Senecio eremophilus
field scabious, Knautia arvensis
leafy spurge, Euphorbia esula
Lindley's aster, Symphyotrichum ciliolatum
Macoun's buttercup, Ranunculus macounii
narrow-leaved hawkweed, Hieracium umbellatum
northern bedstraw, Galium boreale
ox-eye daisy, Leucanthemum vulgare
palmate-leaved coltsfoot, Petasites palmatus
perennial sow-thistle, Sonchus arvensis
Philadelphia fleabane, Erigeron philadelphicus
purple-stemmed aster, Symphyotrichum puniceum
red and white baneberry, Actaea rubra
rough cinquefoil, Potentilla norvegica
scentless chamomile, Tripleurospermum inodorum
showy aster, Eurybia conspicua
spreading dogbane, Apocynum androsaemifolium
star-flowered Solomon's- seal, Maianthemum stellatum
tall buttercup, Ranunculus acris
tall goldenrod, Solidago altissima
tall lungwort, Mertensia paniculata
twining honeysuckle, Lonicera dioica
veiny meadow rue, Thalictrum venulosum
western Canada violet, Viola canadensis
white cockle, Silene latifolia
wild lily-of-the-valley, Maianthemum canadense
wild sarsaparilla, Aralia nudicaulis
wild strawberry, Fragaria virginiana
wild vetch, Vicia americana
woodland horsetail, Equisetum sylvaticum
yellow avens, Geum aleppicum
yellow avens, Geum macrophyllum
Graminoids
foxtail barley, Hordeum jubatum
fowl bluegrass, Poa palustris
slender wheatgrass, Elymus trachycaulus
sweet grass, Hierochloe odorata
western wheatgrass, Pascopyrum smithii
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